Guidebook for Memphis
Food Scene
This is truly the best barbecue in town, especially if you like ribs. The atmosphere is friendly and the patio is great. There can be long waits on the weekend, so get there early. Once they run out of ribs, that's it for the night.
173 locals recommend
Central BBQ - Midtown
2231 Central AveThis is truly the best barbecue in town, especially if you like ribs. The atmosphere is friendly and the patio is great. There can be long waits on the weekend, so get there early. Once they run out of ribs, that's it for the night.
Oh my, will you love these cupcakes! They also have wonderful pies and cookies, but the cupcakes are the true stars. The lemon cupcakes and the grasshopper cupcakes might be my favorites, but try several. The coffee is good here, too!
65 locals recommend
Muddy's Bake Shop + Coffee
585 Cooper StOh my, will you love these cupcakes! They also have wonderful pies and cookies, but the cupcakes are the true stars. The lemon cupcakes and the grasshopper cupcakes might be my favorites, but try several. The coffee is good here, too!
The burgers are fantastic here and it's walking distance from the house. The ingredients are local and farm fresh which is a big bonus.
26 locals recommend
Belly Acres
2102 Trimble PlThe burgers are fantastic here and it's walking distance from the house. The ingredients are local and farm fresh which is a big bonus.
Awesome Mom and Pop Vietnamese restaurant. Their lunch buffet is always fresh, hot and delicious. The Vietnamese noodle bowls are really yummy, too. If you like tofu or are vegetarian this is a particularly good place, but they have really good chicken and pork dishes, too.
19 locals recommend
Pho Binh
1615 Madison AveAwesome Mom and Pop Vietnamese restaurant. Their lunch buffet is always fresh, hot and delicious. The Vietnamese noodle bowls are really yummy, too. If you like tofu or are vegetarian this is a particularly good place, but they have really good chicken and pork dishes, too.
It's a surprising mix of Greek foods and Korean dishes that somehow works incredibly well. The Bibimbop burger is a piece of heaven, or for something a little lighter, just get the traditional bibimbop. Great falafel and a good muffuletta, too. The baklava is a tasty dessert to share.
26 locals recommend
Kwik Chek
2013 Madison AveIt's a surprising mix of Greek foods and Korean dishes that somehow works incredibly well. The Bibimbop burger is a piece of heaven, or for something a little lighter, just get the traditional bibimbop. Great falafel and a good muffuletta, too. The baklava is a tasty dessert to share.
Fresh, custom-made, wood-fired pizza. And it's right around the corner!
6 locals recommend
PYRO'S Fire Fresh Pizza
2035 Union AveFresh, custom-made, wood-fired pizza. And it's right around the corner!
It feels like a little piece of Paris and you can sit out on the deck under a beautiful, huge shade tree. The Croque Monsieur is my favorite sandwich here, basically a fancy grilled cheese with ham and some sort of mustardy béchamel sauce, but trust me, you won't find a better one (and don't forget the fried egg on top). Any of the croissant breakfast sandwiches are pretty wonderful, too. They also have incredible baked goods and pastries with wonderful French-press coffee.
15 locals recommend
Tart
820 Cooper StIt feels like a little piece of Paris and you can sit out on the deck under a beautiful, huge shade tree. The Croque Monsieur is my favorite sandwich here, basically a fancy grilled cheese with ham and some sort of mustardy béchamel sauce, but trust me, you won't find a better one (and don't forget the fried egg on top). Any of the croissant breakfast sandwiches are pretty wonderful, too. They also have incredible baked goods and pastries with wonderful French-press coffee.
One of the cool things about this place is that the olive oil is grown and produced by the owner's father in Jerusalem. The tea, hot or cold, is a divine combination of tea, sage, honey and other herbs, seriously the best tea in Memphis. The pita sandwiches are just okay, but the 5030 Poplar with chopped kifta kabob on hummus, the moussaka, and the pastitsio are really, really good, as is the falafel plate. The hummus dip as an appetizer or the baba ganoush are quite tasty, too. Prices are moderate and it's just a really nice place to have a conversation. When the weather is nice, the deck is a great place to sit out.
21 locals recommend
Casablanca Restaurant
1707 Madison AveOne of the cool things about this place is that the olive oil is grown and produced by the owner's father in Jerusalem. The tea, hot or cold, is a divine combination of tea, sage, honey and other herbs, seriously the best tea in Memphis. The pita sandwiches are just okay, but the 5030 Poplar with chopped kifta kabob on hummus, the moussaka, and the pastitsio are really, really good, as is the falafel plate. The hummus dip as an appetizer or the baba ganoush are quite tasty, too. Prices are moderate and it's just a really nice place to have a conversation. When the weather is nice, the deck is a great place to sit out.
Entertainment & Activities
Free concerts most nights Spring through Fall, though they encourage donations to support the music. Bring a blanket and a cooler and sit out on the lawn while you listen to a wide variety of great music. It's a popular activity and gets crowded, so stake out your area early. Go to the Events page of levittshell.org for detailed information on who is playing.
105 locals recommend
Levitt Shell
1928 Poplar AveFree concerts most nights Spring through Fall, though they encourage donations to support the music. Bring a blanket and a cooler and sit out on the lawn while you listen to a wide variety of great music. It's a popular activity and gets crowded, so stake out your area early. Go to the Events page of levittshell.org for detailed information on who is playing.
Comfy, not too crowded and you can buy wine to wash down your popcorn.
47 locals recommend
Malco Studio on the Square
2105 Court AveComfy, not too crowded and you can buy wine to wash down your popcorn.
The Peabody Hotel is an absolutely gorgeous historic hotel downtown that is worth it just to see how grand it is. But the Duck March is an iconic Memphis tradition that is a lot of fun, especially if you have kids. Spend some time in the Grand Lobby bar (spectacular!) and share some of their truly decadent desserts, or have some fancy adult libations.
126 locals recommend
The Peabody Memphis
149 Union AveThe Peabody Hotel is an absolutely gorgeous historic hotel downtown that is worth it just to see how grand it is. But the Duck March is an iconic Memphis tradition that is a lot of fun, especially if you have kids. Spend some time in the Grand Lobby bar (spectacular!) and share some of their truly decadent desserts, or have some fancy adult libations.
Drinks & Nightlife
You can walk a couple of blocks for a great area with several fun bars and restaurants as well as shopping and even live theater. On the weekends, it's always hopping. I can think of at least five different bars including a piano bar and a brewpub, though Local Tavern is a favorite for good atmosphere. For restaurants choose from burgers, pizza, Indian, Italian, Miami-themed tapas (the guacamole at Babalu is super), and even Japanese and German. You can spend a lot or a little depending on your budget. Lafayette's, one of the venues, also has live music on the weekends and Bosco's, the brewpub, has a pretty good jazz brunch on Sundays.
177 locals recommend
Overton Square
2101 Madison AveYou can walk a couple of blocks for a great area with several fun bars and restaurants as well as shopping and even live theater. On the weekends, it's always hopping. I can think of at least five different bars including a piano bar and a brewpub, though Local Tavern is a favorite for good atmosphere. For restaurants choose from burgers, pizza, Indian, Italian, Miami-themed tapas (the guacamole at Babalu is super), and even Japanese and German. You can spend a lot or a little depending on your budget. Lafayette's, one of the venues, also has live music on the weekends and Bosco's, the brewpub, has a pretty good jazz brunch on Sundays.
It's a 20 minute walk, or a 4 minute drive to this taproom which is a social focal point with lots of events. There are multiple, tasty brews and a fun atmosphere.
84 locals recommend
Memphis Made Brewing Company
768 Cooper StIt's a 20 minute walk, or a 4 minute drive to this taproom which is a social focal point with lots of events. There are multiple, tasty brews and a fun atmosphere.